Articles by David K. Moseder

Mia Berrin of Pom Pom Squad / photo by Michael Todaro

Pom Pom Squad Brings the ’90s Sound Up to Date

March 23, 2020 by David K. Moseder

Pom Pom Squad’s new release, Ow, builds on the post-grunge, “quiet grrl” punk sound the Brooklyn band established with their first EP, Hate it Here.... read article

José James Takes To The Streets photo © by Janette Beckman / courtesy of Girlie Action Media

Rainbow Blonde Records-A New Beginning for José James

March 2, 2020 by David K. Moseder

Brooklyn jazz artist José James has always admired artists who control their own music, such as Ray Charles and Jay-Z. So when he got the... read article

Eight Brooklyn Artists Who Lit Up Our Radar In 2019

December 21, 2019 by David K. Moseder

Brooklyn Roads interviewed a variety of multi-talented artists this year. They come from diverse backgrounds and play their own unique brand of music. All of them... read article

Lora-Faye Åshuvud / photo by Kyra Kverno

In The Moment at The Sultan Room photo by Kyra Kverno

Arthur Moon Shines at Bushwick’s Sultan Room

December 16, 2019 by David K. Moseder

On December 3, 2019, Brooklyn Roads visited Bushwick’s newest music venues, The Sultan Room, to catch one of the most intriguing artists our borough has... read article

Megan Palmer photo by Stacie Huckeba

Megan Palmer and the Healing Power of Music

November 14, 2019 by David K. Moseder

Megan Palmer, one of the standout performers at the 2019 Brooklyn Americana Music Festival, grew up with a musical grandfather who played jazz piano and... read article

Pauline Jean photo by Joey Rosado

Pauline Jean: Music From a Strongly Rooted Core

October 9, 2019 by David K. Moseder

Pauline Jean had been working as a paralegal in New York City for several years when she reached a verdict about herself: guilty of not... read article

The Maybelles_BKAMF19_Jalopy Opening Night_Photo by Quincie Hydock

The Maybelles On Opening Night photo by Quincie Hydock

Fifth Brooklyn Americana Fest: One Crowd-Pleaser After Another

September 29, 2019 by David K. Moseder

The fifth annual Brooklyn Americana Music Festival presented 50 free shows on nine stages from Dumbo to Red Hook on Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 19... read article

Eddie Money On Stage at Aviator / photo © 2010 by B.L. Howard Productions

Eddie Money On Stage at Aviator photo © by Howard B. Leibowitz /B.L.Howard Productions

In Memoriam: Eddie Money

September 14, 2019 by David K. Moseder

Brooklyn-born Edward Joseph Mahoney, known to the music world as Eddie Money, died on September 13, 2019, at age 70, after a battle with esophageal... read article

Courtney Barnett at Celebrate Brooklyn! photo by Kyra Kverno

Brooklyn’s Best: The Year So Far

August 26, 2019 by David K. Moseder

The first eight months of 2019 have proven to be a microcosm of the music renaissance that has swept Brooklyn over the last two decades.... read article

ESS SEE photo by Jonathan Frey

ESS SEE: A SINGER-SONGWRITER GROWS IN BROOKLYN

August 7, 2019 by David K. Moseder

Arkansas native Sarah Cobb, known professionally as ESS SEE, tells Brooklyn Roads that, “The first music I can remember truly loving was on our local... read article

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Artists on our Radar

Ciao Malz: Music With a Storyteller’s Charm

WFUV NY Slice Session- photo by Gus Philippas for FUV

Brooklyn’s indie scene is home to countless rising talents, and one that stands out is Connecticut-born, Brooklyn-based artist Malia DelaCruz better known as Ciao Malz . A self-taught musician and engineer, Malz has a gift for crafting indie pop songs that are both clever and unpolished in the best way. Her latest release, Safe Than Sorry, a four-track EP released in December 2024, showcases her evolving approach to songwriting and collaboration. Growing up surrounded by classic rock, folk and indie music, Malz was drawn to the art of storytelling. “I like songs that feel lived-in, a little rough around the edges but full of heart,” she tells Brooklyn Roads. The DIY nature of indie music was a revelation that made her realize that imperfections could be part of the sound. That perspective shaped her songwriting process, which she describes as intuitive and sometimes surprising, “It’s hard for me to tell where the songs are going at first, but the choruses are catchy.” After attending college in Queens, Brooklyn quickly became her creative home. “There’s always new and different music playing from cars, coffee shops, even the fish supply store,” she says. Playing alongside the borough’s talented musicians has kept her inspired and motivated. Among Brooklyn’s many venues, Union Pool holds a special place for her, for its intimate performance space. First featured on WFUV’s NY Slice in 2021 and once again on March 20, 2025 with her warm, dreamy single, “Always Be My Maybe,” Malz has played venues like Baby’s All Right, Bowery Electric and Pianos NYC. Her latest EP came together in an unexpected but organic way. While working on other artists’ music, she asked a band to stick around after a session to help flesh out some of her songs. “We were able to turn them into full songs pretty quickly,” she recalls. The experience shifted her perspective on collaboration, as she comments, “in the past, I had done everything myself, but after making that EP, I think of it differently.” Ciao Malz is an artist worth watching. For those looking for music that’s deeply personal and full of heart, she’s one to have on your radar.

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